Condiment holders



July 10, 1956 F. J. LAMB 2,754,035

CONDIMENT HOLDERS Filed May 29, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTOR/YL Y July 10, 1956 F. J. LAMB CONDIMEINT HOLDERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 29, 1952 INVEOR. Jr BY Arro mv'y I gram i1:

CONDIIVENT HOLDERS Francis J. Lamb, Ventnor City, N. 3.

Application May 29, 1952, Serial No. 290,725

2 Claims. (Cl. 222-561) My invention relates broadly to condiment holders and more particularly to a construction of automatic closure for such holders for preventing conditions of humidity from effecting the contents of such holders.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved construction of condiment holders provided maintained in sealed position so long as the holder rests on the supporting surface but which is shifted to a position for unsealing the perforation when the holder is raised for shaking out the contents.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a construction of displaceable valve for the cap of condiment holders in which a resilient seal is mounted within the cap of the condiment holder and is operated by a spring mechanism which is effective to displace the valve from sealed position whenever the condiment holder is removed from a supporting surface and which assists in maintaining the valve in sealed position while the holder is resting upon the supporting surface.

A further object of my invention is to provide a construction of displaceable valve which may be readily housed within the cap of a condiment holder and controlled in position by a spring mechanism which is shiftable to either of two limiting positions, one limiting position of which serves to maintain the valve closed and the other limiting position of which serves to shift the valve to open position depending upon whether the condiment holder is resting upon a supporting surface or whether the holder is raised to a position for shaking the contents therefrom.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a construction of valve for controlling the opening and closing of the perforations in the cap of a condiment holder where the value is formed by a disc carrying upwardly extending resilient projections thereon adapted to seal or unseal the perforations in the cap according to the position of spring actuated means associated therewith.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a construction of valve for the closure cap of a condiment holder where the valve is constructed by a cylindrical member apertured in the side walls thereof and provided with a peripheral annular resilient gasket thereon displaceable into sealed or unsealed relation with an annular seat carried by the interior of the closure cap of the holder with spring means for controlling the position of the valve depending upon whether the holder is resting upon or removed from the supporting surface.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in th 2,754,035 Patented July 10, 1956 construction of a humidity-proof closure cap for condiment holders for reducing the tendency of condiments such as salt to clog under conditions of large percentages of humidity as set forth more fully in the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the condiment holder constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the holder at rest onra supporting surface with the closure cap sealed; Fig. 2 is a view similar to the view shown in Fig. 1 but illustrating the structure on a larger scale in vertical section with the valve in the closure cap sealed; Fig. 3 is a view similar to the view shown in Fig. 2 but illustrating the holder raised from the supporting surface and the valve seal displaced under spring action to open position so that the condiment holder may be used to shake the contents therefrom; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the condiment holder; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 2; 6 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale through the displaceable valve used in the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1-7; Fig. 8 is a side elevational view broken away and shown in section illustrating a modified form of valve which may be employed in the condiment holder of my invention; Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken through a further modified form of valve construction for condiment holders embodying my invention, the view illustrating the position of the valve in closed position; Fig. 10 is a view of the condiment holder similar to the view illustrated in Fig. 9 but showing the valve moved to open position to allow the use of the condiment holder for shaking the contents therefrom; Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 9-10; Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 9; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the form of valve and control means in Figs. 9-12; Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional view through the valve per se, showing apertures therein of a preselected size; Fig. 15 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the valve of Fig. 14; and Fig. 1.6 is a vertical sectional view through a valve of the type shown in Fig. 14, but showing larger apertures in the form of slots therein.

My invention is directed to a construction of condiment holder which is highly efiicient in maintaining a seal for the contents of the holder at all times while the holder is not in use. As soon as the holder is raised for purposes of use the seal is automatically opened and the holder is ready for discharge of the contents thereof. The construction of the holder of my invention is such that the holder may be readily employed for holding various kinds of materials both of the powder variety and the liquid and semi-liquid variety. In addition to the use of the structure of my invention as a holder and dispenser for salt and pepper, 1 may also use the device in its modified form and in certain larger sizes thereof as a holder and dispenser for semi-liquids or liquids and also for cofieeQtea, tobacco and the like.

Referring to the drawings in more detail reference character 1 designates the container which may be formed from glass and provided with a neck portion 2 carrying screw threads 3 over which the screw threaded cap 4 is readily attachable. The screw threaded cap 4 is provided with a central aperture 5 through which the vertically extending wire member 6 projects from the interior of the closure cap. The end of the wire member 6 carries a disc 7 having a central hub 7a thereon forming an abutment stop or spacer member with respect to the interior surface of closure cap 4. The disc 7 has a multiplicity of upwardly extending projections which I have shown at 8 and 9. For purposes of illustrating my invention only a pair of these projections has been shown but it will be understood that any number of such projections may be provided. These projections are formed from resilient material such as soft rubber and they protrude through aligned tapered perforations and 11 in closure cap 4 forming a seal when the projections 8 and 9 are engaged through the perforations 10 and 11. However, the disc 7 is fioatably supported through wire member 6 and is capable of being displaced to a position below the closure cap 4 where projections 8 and 9 entirely clear the perforations 10 and 11 so these perforations are open as represented for example in Fig. 3 or disc 7 is capable of being maintained in a position immediately adjacent the interior of closure cap 4 with stop 7a in abutment with the interior of the surface of closure cap 4 where projections 8 and 9 wholly fill the seal perforations 10 and 11. This is accomplished by the arrangement of spring mechanism which I have shown.

The spring mechanism is housed within a spring retainer tube 12 which is fastened to one side of the closure cap 4 as represented at 14. The spring retainer tube 12 has the upper end thereof closed by the cylindrical guide member or plug 15 having an axial passage therethrough for rod member 16 which is turned over upon itself at its upper end 17 and connects to the wire member 6 through connecting portion 18. The rod member 16 is thus substantially U shaped at its upper extremity and is capable of being displaced upwardly and downwardly through plug 15 and carries the disc 7. The cylindrical guide member or plug 15 carries an annular stop flange 19 thereon which determines the linear distance through which wire member 6 may move and the distance through which disc 7 may be displaced.

The movement of rod member 16 through spring retainer tube 12 is guided in an axial and linear direction by means of the inner spacer member 20 through which the rod member 16 extends. The rod member 16 terminates in a cylindrical guide member or plug 21. A coil spring 22 is interposed between the fixed inner spacer member 20 and the inner end of the cylindrical guide member or plug 21 and tends to continuously urge cylindrical guide member or plug 21 in an outward direction. When the condiment holder is raised from a supporting surface as illustrated in Fig. 3 coil spring 22 is freed to eject cylindrical guide member or plug 21 and correspondingly to move cylindrical guide member or plug 15 from the ejected position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3 where stop flange 19 abuts against the upper end of retainer tube 12. Coil spring 22 serves as a dynamic balance storing up energy in the position illustrated in Fig. 2 when the condiment holder is resting upon its supporting surface. Under this condition cylindrical guide member or plug 15 is ejected through the top of retainer tube 12 and disc 7 which is connected with rod member 16 is moved to a position in which projections 8 and 9 close the perforations 10 and 11 in closure cap 4. However, the potential energy stored in spring 22 by virtue of the support of the condiment holder on the surface 23 is converted into kinetic energy as soon as the condiment holder is raised from supporting surface 23 to the position illustrated in Fig. 3 for displacing cylindrical guide member or plug 21 upon the end of the condiment holder but retracting cylindrical guide member or plug 15. Thus, the cylindrical guide members or plugs 21 and 15 occupy opposite positions in the retainer tube 12 depending upon whether the condiment holder is resting upon a supporting surface as in Fig. 2 or whether the condiment holder has been raised from the supporting surface as in Fig. 3. That is to say, the cylindrical guide members or plugs 21 and 15 occupy alternate positions in the opposite ends of spring retainer tube 12. Cylindrical guide member or plug 21 is fully within one end of spring retainer tube 12 when cylindrical guide member or plug 15 is ejected from the opposite end of spring retainer tube 12 in the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 2

whereas the opposite condition occurs in the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 3 where cylindrical guide member or plug 15 is displaced wholly within one end of spring retainer tube 12 while cylindrical guide member or plug 21 is ejected from the opposite end of spring retainer tube 12.

In lieu of the form of double valve formed by projections 8 and 9 which I have described herein, I may provide a construction of cap 25 as represented in Fig. 8 having central aperture 26 therein through which wire member 6 extends. In this arrangement the aperture 26 extends downwardly providing an annular seat 27 against which a ball member 28 formed from resilient material such as rubber or neoprene or other synthetic product is adapted to seat. When the condiment holder is raised in the position illustrated in Fig. 8 the coil spring 22 is effective to eject plunger 21 and correspondingly move the wire member 6 to a position in which resilient ball 1 is displaced from annular seat 27. Under these conditions the material within the container 1 may be readily scattered from the container.

There are conditions in which a semi-fluid must be dispensed and wherein a wholly different type of valve structure is desirable as represented in Figs. 9-16. In this arrangement the same type of spring control mechanism which I have heretofore described is employed but the cap which is applied to container 1 substantially differs in construction than that heretofore described. In Figs. 9 and 10 I have shown a cap 30 applied to container 1 wherein the cap is provided with an inwardly depending cylindrical portion 31 adjacent the center thereof. The wire member 6 extends axially downwardly through the inwardly depending cylindrical portion 31 and carries an inner cylinder 32. The inner cylinder 32 is provided with an outwardly flared skirt 33 on the solid end of the inner cylinder 32 which carries a resilient gasket 34 which seats against the annular seat 35 on the end of inwardly depending cylindrical portion 31.. The inner cylinder 32 is provided with slits 36 which are normally covered by the inner cylindrical member 31 in the closed position of the receptacle in Fig. 9 thereby blocking access of air to the interior of the contents of receptacle 1. Coil spring 22 which is effective upon wire member 6 insures a tight sealed closure of inner cylinder 32 with respect to cylindrical portion 31. However, when the receptacle is removed from suspending surface as in Fig. 10 cylindrical guide member or plug 21 is projected beyond the bottom exteriorly of receptacle 1 under the action of spring 22 and inner cylinder 32 is projected into the receptacle 1 uncovering the slits 36 with respect to cylindrical portion 31 and allowing the semi-liquid from receptacle 1 to readily how out through the center cylindrical aperture formed by cylindrical member 31.

The slits 36 in inner cylinder 32 are employed for facilitating the pouring of semi-liquids. It will be understood that the valve structure may be modified to meet the requirements in confiing and pouring various types of materials. In Figs. 14 and 15 for example I have shown circular apertures 37 provided in cylindrical member 32 in lieu of the slits employed in the form of my invention shown in Figs. 9-13 and in Fig. 16. These circular apertures are normally covered by the cylindrical portion 31 while the receptacle is resting upon a supporting surface such as 23. However, when the receptacle is raised from the supporting surface the apertures 37 are uncovered by displacement of inner cylindrical member 32 with respect to outer cylindrical portion 31 enabling salt and pepper to be distributed from the apertures which are of small size; or when the apertures are of large size to enable the dispensing of coffee, tea, tobacco and the like.

I have described my invention in certain of its preferred embodiments but I realize that modifications and improvements may be made and I desire that it be understood that no limitations upon my invention are intended other than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. A self closing condiment holder of the type including a cover having pereforate means therein and closure means for positively closing the perforate means in the cover at all times that the condiment holder is at rest on a supporting surface and automatically displaceable to a position uncovering the perforate means in the cover when the holder is raised from a supporting surface which comprises a condiment holder having a solid bottom and a cover member having perforate means therein, an internally disposed valve coacting with said perforate means, a rod member connected with said valve and extending upwardly through the perforate means in said cover member, said rod member being bent at an angle and extending over the top of said cover member and radially thereof and longitudinally downwardly external to one side of the condiment holder and terminating in a displaceable cylindrical guide member at the end thereof, a spring retainer tube located externally to one side of said receptacle enclosing said rod member and the said cylindrical guide member, spring means interposed between a portion of said spring retainer tube and said displaceable cylindrical guide member for normally biasing said rod member and said displaceable cylindrical guide member to an ejected position with respect to said spring retainer tube for maintaining said valve in a position uncovering the perforate means in said cover member so long as the condiment holder is raised from a supporting surface, the said cylindrical guide member being displaceable through said spring retainer tube against the action of said spring means when said condiment holder is rested upon a supporting surface for displacing said valve to a position closing the perforate means in said cover member, said valve comprising a central inwardly directed sleeve carried by the end of said rod member and coacting with the perforate means in said cover member, said inwardly directed sleeve being displaceable for effecting the closing or opening of the said perforate means in said cover member.

2. A self closing condiment holder of the type including a cover having perforate means therein and closure means for positively closing the perforate means in the cover of a condiment holder at all times that the condiment holder is at rest on a supporting surface and automatically displaceable to a position uncovering the perforate means in the cover of the condiment holder when the holder is raised from a supporting surface which comprises a con diment holder having a solid bottom and a cover member having perforate means therein, an internally disposed valve coaeting with said perforate means, a rod member connected with said valve and extending upwardly through the perforate means in said cover member, said rod member being bent at an angle and extending over the top of said cover member and radially thereof and longitudinally downwardly external to one side of the condiment holder and terminating in a displaceable cylindrical guide member at the end thereof, a spring retainer tube located externally to one side of said receptacle enclosing said rod member and the said cylindrical guide member, spring means interposed between a portion of said spring retainer tube and said displaceable cylindrical guide member for normally biasing said rod member and said displaceable cylindrical guide member to an ejected position with respect to said spring retainer tube for maintaining said value in a position uncovering the perforate means in said cover member so long as the condiment holder is raised from a supporting surface, the said cylindrical guide member being displaceable through said spring retainer tube against the action of said spring means when said condiment holder is rested upon a supporting surface for displacing said valve to a position closing the perforate means in said cover member, said valve consisting of a pair of coacting perforated cylindrical members with alignable perforations therein, one of said cylindrical members being attached to the pereforate means in said cover and projecting inwardly of said condiment holder and the other of said cylindrical members constituting said coacting part of said valve and having an outwardly extending annular projection thereon adapted to make abutting contact with the terminating end of the aforesaid cylindrical member when said rod member is displaced to a position for closing said valve by displacing the perforations in said cylindrical members out of alignment, said perforations being subject to alignment when said rod member is displaced by said spring means when said condiment holder is raised from the supporting surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 656,417 McIntyre Aug. 21, 1900 810,107 Cohencius Jan. 16, 1906 888,066 Cohencius May 19, 1908 1,129,618 Zaar Feb. 23, 1915 1,184,698 Harralson May 23, 1916 1,193,192 Rose Aug. 1, 1916 1,238,118 Edmunds Aug. 28, 1917 2,215,589 Love et al Sept. 24, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 618,539 Great Britain Feb. 23, 1949 

